Dream Eating Monochrome Baku: a KoN gift
by knight of nights
Summary: When Rin can't sleep, A Baku comes and makes a deal with her: a mou nth of sweet dream in exchange for anything he wants. but what happens when she realises she's falling for him? a prize for Owlpanicatthecity
1. Chapter 1

It was when darkness fell, that Rin always felt the most alone. The pale light from the full moon shined through her window and fell across her bed, showing the grotesque shadows of bare branches. The sound of scraping twigs on glass grated against her eardrums. Outside, the wind howled, as if it was a hungry wolf. Most of the room was enveloped in shadows, making it look like the room stretched out indefinitely. A digital clock on the bed stand was light up with red LED lights, showing the late hour. But this didn't seem to even affect Rin. The short haired blond sat up in her bed, her knees tucked up under her chin and slender arms wrapped around her, as if to shield herself from coming danger. Rin wore a thin white nightgown, its collar and hemline wrapped with yellow ribbon. The girl shuddered at the slight chill in the room, as if winter refused to make way for the incoming spring. Slowly, Rin rocked back and forth, while talking to herself.

"It's going to be ok" she whispered. "You're going to be fine"

"What's going to be ok?" a voice asked suddenly. Immediately, Rin turned her head towards the window, in which the speaker sat. Since the light was behind him, she could only see his outline. She could tell by the voice that is was a male, and probably roughly the same size as her. Rin tried to speak, to scream for help, but her voice seemed paralyzed. "If I let you speak, will you promise not to scream?" The shadow asked. Rin slowly nodded her head. At that, the shadow smiled and turned its head slightly, the moon light now reflecting off its snow-white teeth. Rin pressed her hand up to her throat, feeling the power of speech going back into her body.

"Who, Who are you?" Rin asked, her eyes filled with fear for the one who could take away her voice.

"Ah, I always forget that you humans can't see in the dark." The voice sighed. He clapped his hands quickly, which seemed to summon dozens of floating lit candles. Rin narrowed her big blue eyes against the light before observing the stranger who was now standing near her bed. He seemed to be about sixteen, which was Rin's age. He wore black dress pants that were tucked into his knee high socks, charcoal with a single chain of ash-colored diamonds. Under his black dress coat, with its twin tails was a yellow vest that had three pairs of shiny black buttons, and white undershirt. His coat sleeves were rolled to his elbows, revealing pale, wiry arms and hands that were in short black gloves. In his right hand was a white cane, while his left was placed on top of his hat. His hat seemed like it didn't belong in this decade, a velvet black fedora with a yellow ribbon around it, which matched his yellow bowtie. From beneath his hat, fell blond locks that went to his eyebrows in the front, and to his neck in the back, where they were tied up into a small ponytail with a black bow. But it was the boy's face that caught Rin's attention. It was so similar to her own, that she felt she was looking into a mirror and seeing a masculine version of herself. He wore that same smile that he had in the dark, but now in the candle light, it seemed less menacing, and more mysterious. His eyes were bright turquoise, turned up slightly, as if hiding a splendid secret.

"Why are you hear" Rin asked, her voice weak.

"I'm here for business" he answered her. Quickly, he stood his cane straight up and sat on the curved handle. Snapping his fingers, two teacups and saucers appeared in his hands. He handed one to Rin, and then took a sip of his own. "I've heard that you can't sleep Rin, so I came to make a deal"

"What kind of deal and how do you know my name?" She asked suspiciously

"There's little I don't know" he winked at her. "From now, until the next full moon, I can take away your nightmares and leave you with sweet dreams" he told her, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "And in exchange, you give me whatever I want"

"What do you want?" Rin asked curious, as she was desperate for peaceful sleep.

"I'm not sure yet, I might take your hopes ad good dreams, since I will have such a bitter taste in my mouth from your nightmares"

"Wait, you eat my dreams!? Are you a …" she asked, her eyes open wide.

"A Baku?" He interrupted. "Yes I am" He informed her as a feral look came into his eye. Rin scooted back, as the Baku's smile widened, showing the same menacing smile she had seen when the boy was nothing but a shadow. The blond male shook his head, and instantly the wild look in his eye, and fearsome smile disappeared, making him appear more normal. "So is it a deal?" He asked her. Rin sat there for a while, pondering the deal.

How can I trust that you will keep your end of the bargain before the next full moon?" She questioned him.

"I promise that I will not break my deal with you, Rin Kagamine"

Pinky promise?" Rin asked, sticking out her pinky. Imminently, she regretted it, knowing it made her seem childish. At this the Baku smiled again, though this smile was softer, kinder.

Pinky promise" he told her, wrapping his finger around hers. "Now sleep, I'll be here when you wake. With that, Rin could feel her eyes getting heavy. She laid down, not protesting when the Baku tucked her gently into bed.

"Wait," she asked, her voice just a mere whisper. "I don't know your name" she paused, waiting for a reply.

"Len, my name is Len" he told her.

"Len" she said gently, smiling as she slipped into a blissful sleep.

The sunlight filtered through the window, shining on the sleeping girl's face. Rin lazily opened her eyes, rested from a peaceful night's sleep. She slowly pushed herself up on her elbows, casting her eyes around the room, and spotted Len sitting on the edge of her bed, sipping a cup of hot tea. When he saw her stir, he addressed the tired girl.

"Well?" He asked expectedly

"Well what?" She asked confused

"How did you sleep?" He said the corner of his mouth turning into a slight grin. At this, Rin's eyes light up

"Great!" She chirped happily

"That's good, especially since your school bus will be here in," he paused to look at his pocket watch. "Eight minutes"

"What!?" The blond screamed as she tore about the room, trying to get ready. She was so focused on her task that she failed to see Len slip out of the window

At the end of a long day, the most refreshing thing that could happen was a nice warm shower. After spending a long day at school, Rin decided that none of the events that had happened the night before was actual reality. When she walked in her room, only dressed in a towel, she found out she couldn't have been more wrong. There siting on the edge of her bed, was Len, who observed the now blushing girl with that look of wildness that had come back into his eyes.

"Well, it seems that little miss flat chest, is finally done taking her shower" the Baku snickered. At that comment,

Rin's face twisted into an expression of pure rage. She quickly crossed the room, using one hand to hold her towel, with the other used to slap Len across the face. Or at least try to. The Baku grabbed her wrist at midflight, but Rin, taken of guard, tripped and fell on Len, knocking him on his back on the bed, with her on top. Imminently, his grip on her wrist tightened, his other hand grabbing her around the back of her neck and pulled her close.

"You are a very stupid girl" he said slowly. "If you think you can assault a man alone when you are only wearing a towel" he said, his smile widening into an animal like grin. He watched her eyes fill with fear, while his face remained barbaric. Then he laughed, letting her go. "You should have seen your face!" He chuckled. "Hurry up and get dressed before I turn around." He said, winking as he turned towards the window. He laughed again as he heard Rin dash around the room, trying to throw on clothes as quickly as possible. He was smiling when he turned around, sensing that she was done getting dressed, but his smile quickly vanished. Before him, was Rin, wearing a yellow tank-top and fuzzy yellow pajama pants. Her wet hair fell limply around her shoulders, framing her still red face, where a single tear was rolling down her cheek. He quickly crossed to the room to be next to Rin, who shrunk back. Gently, he wiped away her tear, and kissed her forehead.

"I'm scared of you" she whispered, her eyes wide.

"I promised you I would take care of you until the next full moon, didn't I?" he asked her. As she nodded her head, he picked her up and laid her on the bed, pulling the covers around her. "Now go to sleep and have sweet dreams" he whispered into her ear as her eyes closed.

"Where is she!?" Len shouted to himself. The sky outside was dark; the only light was coming from the stars, since it was a new moon. He knew that Rin said she would be home late, since she was going to be out with a friend, Hatsune Miku. But it was later than he expected. Len had tried to keep himself calm by drinking tea, but it didn't work. Now he paced back and forth, fretting to himself, wondering why he even cared where the girl was. He paused as he heard footsteps running up the stairs. He turned towards the door smiling as Rin pushed it open. The girls face was full of tears, as she threw herself on the Baku. He stood there shocked, not knowing what to do as Rin cried into his shirtfront. Slowly he wrapped his arms around her, wishing he could protect her from whatever was causing her to cry. They stood like that for several minutes, the human girl shedding tears, and the Baku boy holding her close. After several minutes, Rin took a big breath.

"I'm sorry…" she mumbled out, trying to push herself away from his embrace, but to no avail as he held her close.

"Shhh, its okay, tell me what's wrong" he whispered in her ear.

"It's just when I was out with Miku-Chan, I saw a girl who looked like my sister Lily, so I ran after her, desperately hoping it was her. When I finally reached her, she turned around and I realized it wasn't her" she said, her voice filled with sadness.

"Lily," he said slowly "Is this the girl that was in your nightmares?" He asked her, slowly starting to understand. Rin mournfully nodded her head.

"Yes, she was my sister, but she died two months ago. She was hit by a car when she was standing just a few feet ahead of me on the side walk" At this confession, the girl broke down in to tears again, her body shaking from the sobs. "I'm afraid" she finally admitted when she could speak again.

"Of getting hit by a car?" He asked her softly, using his hand to brush away her bitter tears.

"Of my dreams. I see her death every time I fall asleep." She sighed, her body trembling. Len gently tilted her chin up, forcing her to look him in the eye.

"I will protect you from your dreams, and let you fall into bliss" he whispered, his smile light and caring.

"Promise?" She asked. At this, Len lowered his head, kissing her on her tearstained lips. She could taste the bitter ashes of her nightmares on his lips, the pain he had devoured for her. But somehow it was also sweet. Their bittersweet kiss lasted only for a few seconds, but Len wished it would go on forever, but he allowed it to unfortunately end. He smiled as he whispered his vow

"I promise"

Outside the full moon was bright. Rin sat on the end of her bed, dressed in her favorite nightgown. She fingered the lacey sleeve, remembering when she had first seen the Baku sitting in her window, promising her sweet dreams, dreams that would now desert her. The more she thought about that night, the more she thought about Len, the person who held her when she cried, who promised he would be there with a kiss. With a sharp realization, she realized that it wasn't the dreams she was so depressed about losing, but Len. Regardless of her feelings however, she had to keep her end of the deal.

"You know what tonight is, right? She heard Len say. Slowly she turned towards the window to see the Baku. He sat there, dressed as he always was with a smile on his face. But this smile was different; it seemed to be plastered on.

"Yes" Rin replied, somehow feeling calm.

"Then you know what I must do?" he asked her.

"Yes," she stood up and walked toward the boy. When she was just a few feet away from him, almost close enough to reach out and touch his face, she stopped. "Thank you Len, for everything" she smiled widely, her eyes filled with happiness.

"For the dreams?" He asked confused

"No, for being here with me. I think I've fallen in love with you" she said, casting her eyes towards the ground, her cheeks turning bright red. Instantly, Len thrust himself off the window still, embracing Rin tightly.

"I've decided what I want from you, Rin Kagamine" he whispered passionately into her ear. "I want every part of you"

A girl laid on her stomach, crying into her pillow. Outside, the full moon shined bright, the shadows of spring leaves danced across the window pane.

"I'm not scared" the green haired girl cried. "It was just a dream"

"What was just a dream?" a voice asked. The girl turned towards the window where two shadowy figures sat. The girl squealed, and quickly flipped her lamp switch, making the room flood with artificial light. Before her were a boy and girl. The boy wore a black coat with a yellow vest and white undershirt, while the girl wore a white, more feminine coat with a yellow vest and black undershirt. The boy wore black pants, while the girl wore a white short skirt. They had the same blond hair and blue eyes.

"What if we could take away your nightmare," the female intruder asked

"Would you give us something in return" the male finished

"Take away my nightmares?! You promise?" at this the two blonds turned to look each other in the eye, which seemed to be much more feral and grinned.

"Pinky promise" the smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

**Well, here's a new chapter! This was originally supposed to be a one shot, but after so much praise, I've decided to make it a full novel. If you enjoyed last chapter, I would sincerely thank OwlsPanicAtTheCity for her request for this story. Well Enjoy!**

Rin strolled slowly through the beach, her bare feet mixing with the warm sand and the cold, salty water. In her hand were her shoes, which had removed as she walked along the blissful beach. It seemed to go on forever, which was true, for this wasn't a normal beach, but one in a dream. Or rather, it was in many dreams. Rin had learned early on that the fastest way for a Baku to travel, was through dream hopping.

Unbeknownst to humans, dreams are often linked. For example, millions of people dreamed of the beach every night. While they might think it's their own beach, it was really just the one beach in this parallel dream world, Heiwana Beach. While doctors explained that dreams were just a person's unconsciousness at work, Rin now knew the truth. When one either sleeps or daydreams, their spirit body travels to the dream world, where it is guided into one of the different areas. This other dimension made it extremely easy for Bakus like Rin and Len to travel to wherever they pleased. All a Baku had to do was find someone who was dreaming near their location on earth, enter their dream, find someone in Heiwana who was having the same dream while their body was where the Baku wanted to go, and exit through this new dreamer. At first the experience had been maddening, but with some help from Len, she had finally been able to master it. Now she just had to find someone who was dreaming in Tokyo.

Just by looking at these spirit bodies, Rin could tell where there they were from. The short blond pasted a dark haired beauty who sprawled on the sand, her tan skin glistening in the sunlight. Rin focused her eyes on the girl, allowing her information to display itself in her mind_. Clara Rivera, eighteen years old, lives in Madrid._ Not exactly the place she wanted to go. As she continued walking down the beach, she let her mind travel over the ever changing facts that described her life.

Since that night, about a month ago, she gave up her humanity for Len. Now she was different, not entirely human, but not quite an animal. Instead she was a monster, though her appearance was the same. As of right now, she was considered an apprentice. Rin had to successfully complete ten contracts with her teacher, Len, in his given region, central Japan. Already, the first one was coming quickly to a close. Her contractor, Gumi Nagisama, had run out of time. Tonight was the full moon, the ending of the green haired girl's contract, which Rin was extremely glad for. For a whole month now, the blond had to eat the bitter nightmares of falling off of cliffs, while supplying Gumi with a way for her spirit to go to Yuushou Fields. It would have been too much for to handle, if it wasn't for her Len. He took the majority of the bitterness on himself, and comforted her while the pain racked her head, causing her body to shake. He embraced her silently while Gumi slept, blissfully unaware of the pain her nightmares gave. While Rin loved the feeling of his warm arms wrapped around her torso, she still didn't feel satisfied. Their lips haven't touched since that night, the night her humanity was given away to embrace a new life. Her insides felt empty as she thought of his pale lips, the taste and smell of banana that seemed to be as much of a part of him, as those mischievous blue eyes.

She sighed as she turned her head towards the still water. Unlike a normal beach that would have roaring waves that threatened to knock even the most sure footed swimmer over, the waves at Heiwana beach were little more than peaceful ebbs on the tide, which were silent as they gracefully fell on the silver sand. In the water was a girl, her two purple pig tail soaked with the salty water. _Tone Rion, sixteen years old, lives in Tokyo._ Perfect, she thought, as she waded out towards the girl. Tone looked up as Rin appeared.

"Hi!" she smiled. "My name's Tone, what's yours" the girl asked cursorily.

"If I told you, you wouldn't remember" the Baku sighed, wishing she could avoid the pointless conversation.

"Why? Is it because this is a dream?" She said, before being distracted by the colorful fish that swam about the pair.

"How do you know this is a dream?" Rin asked, confused. Whenever she walked the dream worlds with Len, she noticed that each spirit was blissfully unaware that this was reality.

"Because, Silly, when I wake up, I'm always back in my bed!" She explained giggling like a little girl. "But I've seen you before." Tone said, her voice turning serious. "You were here with that boy who looks like you" with this declaration, Rin's jaw opened. No one ever remembered seeing a Baku, unless they made a contract with them. She opened her mouth to say something, for the purple haired girl interrupted her. "So, now will you tell me your name?"

"It's Rin" she sighed reluctantly.

"Ok, Rin, would you like to play with me?" The girl asked, her eyes filled with expectation.

"Sorry, I can't. I'm really busy" she sighed

"Oh…" the girl said, her face filled with disappointment. Then she brightened up. "How about another time then?" She said, her expression again filled with naïve hope.

Rin's eyes flashed in response, changing into looking wilder than most teenage girls, while she flashed a big smile. Then she placed her hand on Tone's head. Instantly, the blond disappeared, leaving the purple hair girl scratching her head in confusion, before returning to playing in the blissful waves.

KoN—KoN—KoN—KoN—KoN

Rin materialized in a girl's bedroom, her hand on the sleeping Tone's head. She couldn't help but smile to see the girl sprawled all over her bed, snoring obnoxiously. Crossing the room quickly, she opened the window and landed feet first on the ground. She wrapped her arms around herself as she walked. The change in temperature from Heiwana beach and Tokyo was extreme. As she pasted an alleyway, something sparkling caught her eye, a shining light that radiated in the darken alley.

"Gotcha Mousy!" A girl screamed as she jumped out of the alleyway, launching herself at Rin. The girl seemed to realize that Rin was not a mouse while she was jumping and tried to avert the crash, but to no avail. The pair knocked heads before falling side by side on the cold concrete. Instantly, the strange girl sits up, nursing her now red head. "Oww, why did you do that?" She asks accusingly.

"What!?" the blond Baku countered. "This is your fault you…" she stopped as she realized what the girl looked like. She had cherry colored mixed with orange highlights. A single tuft of hair stood up, standing up like an antenna. She wore a black collar over her white dress with a blue star over hr bust and fell on her upper thigh. Even sitting, Rin could tell this skinny girl would probably be an entire head taller than her. But what made Rin stop, was the pair of red cat ears that stood out of the girl's head, accompanied by the red, skinny tail that sneaked out from a slit in her dress.

"What are you staring at, clumsy?" The girl pouted, causing Rin to stop gaping over the newcomer's odd appearance.

"What…What are you?" Rin asked.

"Are you really that stupid? I'm a Neko" She answered, her tail twitching in irritation.

"But, Nekos aren't real!" The blond protested.

"Apparently they are" the Neko girl smiled, and then frowned. "You must still be in training, Baku."

"How did you know I'm a Baku?" Rin demanded, starting to feel nervous around the creature.

"Because your making me feel sleepy" the girl laughed. "You'll learn soon enough that Bakus aren't the only creatures that are real" She said sticking out her tongue.

"What's your name?" Rin asked curious.

"Miki Furukara" the red head Neko responded smiling. "And yours?"

"Rin Kagamine"

"Well, it's nice meeting you Rin," Miki said as she stood up. "Now, I need to gone find my mouse before it gets away. Bye!" The Neko smiled, before turning to disappear into the shadows.

KoN—KoN—KoN—KoN—KoN

Rin easily jumped to a high branch on the spreading oak tree. Len still had yet to arrived, but then again, she was pretty early. It was only nine o'clock, still too early for the sixteen year old Gumi to go to sleep. She closed her eyes stretched her neck as she waited, her body physically sore from traveling through dreams. Rin heard a slight sound beside her and opened her eyes. She was met by Len's hear melting smile, that seemed to make all feelings of pain disappear.

"You ready?" He asked, his voice filled with gentleness. The blond hair girl nervously nodded her head.

"Yeah" she said, struggling to hide the anxiety in her voice.

"It's ok to be scared" he whispered. Rin turned to look at him, thinking that he was making fun of her. But when she saw the kindness in his eyes, a look that said he understood all of the changes that were happing to her, Rin's heart seemed to melt. As the tears flowed down her cheeks, Len reached towards her, embracing her, drawing her close to his steady beating heart. Rin clinged to him, her fists wrapped around his shirt as she allowed her body to shake from the sobs escaping from her throat

"Ok" she finally said after several minutes. "I think I can do it now" Len took her hand gently and brought it up to his lips. Rin's face turned bright red as her cold porcelain skin brushed against his warm lips in a gentle caress. Bringing her hand down, but still interlocked with his, he smiled, looking her in the eye.

"Ready?" She nodded, before jumping from her branch, her hand entwined with Len's unto the window sill. Her crystal blue eyes scanned the room. Gumi, dressed in a pair of orange pajamas, was lying face down on her bed. From the way her body was shaking, and the muffled noises coming out of her pillow, Rin could tell she was crying.

"Gumi, you know what today is, right?" Rin asked, forcing her voice to be calm. At this question, Gumi jumped, throwing her head up to look at her trespasser.

"No, please…" she mumbled, her lip trembling as tears welled up in her eyes.

"It's time to make your payment" Len said smiling a cruel grin at this Gumi jumped out of her bed, pushing her body against the farthest wall as if she was trying to disappear.

"No, you're not real! This is just a dream!" She wailed. Len looked towards Rin, who knew what she must do. She sighed and tried to gather the courage to preform her job.

"Gumi," she began. "For an entire moon, I've taken away your nightmares. Now it's time for you to pay the price" Gumi broke down, throwing herself at Rin's feet, while the Baku's heart broke from the human girl's sobs.

"Please, please don't kill me." She wailed, her tears falling on Rin's shoes. The blond was appalled that Gumi would think she would go that far, but still, she had to pay a price for her contract. Her mind wandered, trying to think of something that would be dear to the girl. As the green hair girl met her gaze, her emerald eyes glistening with tears, Rin had her answer.

"For my price, Gumi, I will take your world of color. You are now forced to live this world in a monochrome reality" she ordered. She could see the horror on the human girl's face as she became color blind, no longer allowed to see the beautiful colors of the flowers she had loved in her dreams. While she continued to cry, Len lead the shocked Rin out of the room. When they again were in the tree, the girl Baku felt her legs collapse, as Len caught her, holding her close to his chest as he jumped from tree, to roof top to roof top.

"You did great Rin" he whispered in her ear, when he finally put her down, as they stood on top of a tall building. Rin turned to look at his face, bathed in moon light from the white moon besides them. Looking at him like this caused Rin to forget everything else. The pain, the confusion, all fell away when she was in his presence.

"Len…" she began before her voice failed her, while she looked down to hide her blushing face. Quickly, a hand pushed her chin up, causing her to look into a pair of wild blue eyes.

"Rin, I love you"

KoN—KoN—KoN—KoN—KoN

An orange female cat pranced about the alleys, a prize hanging from her mouth. The black collar around her neck jingled as she jumped over the unwanted refused that had someway founds itself in the darkened alley, all the while making not to drop the squirming mouse. Suddenly she paused, alerted by a sound from above. Turning her gaze towards the rooftops, she was met with an interesting sight. Framed by the white moon light, two shadows were entwined, sharing a kiss under the darkness of the night. Smirking, the cat pranced off, dragging her mouse along with her into the blackness.

**Well, I hoped you liked it! Please leave a comment and let me know! Yours truly, KoN**


	3. Chapter 3

**So I finally updated again! I'm excited to let you know that I know have a beta reader, Unyielding Wish, who has gracefully edited my chapter!**

Len tapped his foot in impatience. Usually the Baku was in no hurry, having an immortal lifespan to spend. But tonight was different. Though it was less than three hours since Rin had finished her contract with Gumi, the councilor of dreams demanded for the newest Baku to introduce herself. He extremely would have preferred to spend the night with Rin, kissing her soft lips over and over again. He could still taste them, salty and tearstained, mixed with his fiery passion. A wonderfully intoxicating combination. But he knew the consequences of skipping out on a gathering of Bakus. Unfortunately however, their normal clothes wouldn't suffice. Hence the reason why the pair was at Galaco's, so Rin could get an appropriate dress.

"Lenny! How nice it is to see you again!" the girl had shrieked happily as the blond boy pulled Rin into the store. Rin's body tensed, and Len noticed that she was rather shocked.

While on the outside, the building had looked little more than a broken-down shed; a bit of Yokai magic had caused the interior to swell to the size of a mall. Hanging from racks were thousands of dresses, suits and other clothing. Though the store was magnificent, it was no grander than its owner. Galaco was tall, maybe about 5'11, several inches taller than both of the blond Bakus. Add to this height a pair of heeled boots and you had a giantess. Her long hair was blond on one side, while brown on the other. Stripes of red, yellow, and blue, as if a miniature rainbow, ran down the left side of her bangs. Her bright, energetic hazel eyes glimmered, as if the excitement was bursting them at the seams. Her sparkly purple dress matched the glittering crown that sat regally on her head. The storekeeper's interest was piqued the moment she laid her eyes on Rin.

"Um, Galaco." Len cleared his throat. "This is my partner Rin. Tonight is her introduction ceremony and she needs a dress." He barely finished his sentence when Galaco squealed and grabbed the blonde's hand. With abnormal strength, Galaco almost threw Rin into a large dressing room, then dashed about the store grabbing several dresses, each grander than the last. As she arrived back at the dressing room, she turned around and winked at Len before vanishing behind a curtain.

"No peeking!"

Len paced back and forth as the minutes passed by. Occasionally, he would see a dress being thrown over the curtain, apparently being considered insignificant for Rin's needs. He listened to the conversation inside with some amusement.

"Oww, stop pulling!"

"Well stop moving then!"

"Well then, stop pulling those strings so tight! I can't breathe!"

"_Fine_!"

While Galaco kept Rin busy with the dresses, Len had dove into a closet to grab his suit he had left behind and change.

Len dressed fairly quickly, and as a result, he ended up in front of the girls' dressing room now, tapping his foot in impatience, anxious to get going. _What could be taking them so long?_

Suddenly, the curtain was ripped open revealing the pair of girls. Galaco stood in front of her costumer, hiding her from Len's gaze.

"Yes?" Len said, trying to peek around the woman.

"Pfft. So impatient. Well, it is my pleasure to introduce you— to the one and only— Lady Rin Kagamine!" she announced as she moved to stand beside the blond girl. Len could feel his jaw drop as he took in how lovely Rin looked in her dress. Made of midnight black silk, the high neck line of the dress was countered by the hem that fell across Rin's upper thigh. Her shoulders were exposed by the lack of material, though the rest of her arm was gracefully wrapped in detachable sleeves. The tight bodice had elegant pearls stitched across the cloth, though the skirt of the dress had hoops underneath and filled out with tons of ruffles.

"Do you like it?" Rin's face was downward as she tried to hide a blush. Len quickly crossed the room to stop in front of her. Kneeling down on one knee, he took her hand and kissed it lightly.

"You look beautiful." He smiled as the female Baku's blush spread from her rosy cheeks to the rest of her face and her neck. "Shall we go, my lady?"

Rin nodded, a slight smile gracing her face. Len stood up, tucking her arm in his as he turned to Galaco. "Thanks, Galaco," he said as he pulled out a mysterious gold coin from his pocket and tossed it to the girl with the multicolored hair. She deftly caught in her hand, examining it closely to make sure it wasn't counterfeit. When she was satisfied, she carefully placed it in a money box.

"No, thank_ you. _I had great fun today. Service is normally so boring." Saying that, she led the couple to the door. As the door closed behind her, Rin couldn't help but look back at the shabby building, wondering what type of magic could cause such a transformation.

KoN—KoN—KoN—KoN—KoN

Len knocked on the stately door, and then waited for a response. He watched Rin out of the corner of his eye as he recounted their journey to the Baku Headquarters. Shortly after the pair had left Galaco's shop, Len had brought his student to a tower. Not just any tower, but the Tokyo tower. Carrying Rin in his arms, the Baku leaped several hundred feet, jumping from every hold he could get his feet on. In a matter of seconds, he landed on the observation deck, his breathing light as he gently placing the frightened Rin down, whose body was frozen with fear as she wrapped her fist tightly around his white shirt. Walking up to a wall, Len placed his hand on the red metal which seemed to shimmer with his presence. Slowly, a door of light appeared as Len beckoned Rin to follow.

Inside the tower, the interior had seemed to grow as a long hallway stood before the pair. Now the pair stood in waiting at the door at the end of the hall, waiting for someone inside to allow them in.

"Why are they not here?" grumbled Len.

"Are they supposed to?" Rin asked timidly.

Right then, a voice finally echoed through the hallway. "Who's there?"

"Len Kagane, and his apprentice, Rin Kagamine."

Immediately, the door swung open, revealing a parlor and a roaring fireplace inside. Rin blinked against the bright light as she noticed there were three figures in the room. Standing at the door was a guy that seemed about her age, with blue hair and white highlights. He looked seriously bored, though the slightest fleck of interest dawned upon his face when his eyes landed on Rin. Behind him was a man, tallest of the group who stood next to the fireplace. His long purple hair fell elegantly in cascades around his face, reminding Rin of a nobleman— but the impression soon disappeared as he directed a dazzling, if not unnerving, smile at the blonde girl. Sitting in a chair was the last of the group, a white-haired girl who sat daintily in a chair as she sipped a cup of tea. When she saw Len, she bolted up, almost spilling the contents of her tea cup onto her lap.

"Lenny! How I missed you! Have you come to see me?" the girl asked flirtatiously, wrapping her arms around the boy— _like talons,_ thought Rin, wincing inwardly. Len sighed as he pried her off of him.

"No, Tei, I came to bring my apprentice, Rin, to her introduction."

Tei's face fell, but she quickly straightened up again, turned and smiled sweetly at Rin. She pulled the blonde girl over, and pressed her rosebud lips to Rin's ear, her hot breath sending goose bumps prickling on Rin's skin.

The first time, Rin did not hear what Tei said.

"Excuse me?" Rin asked, hoping it did not come off as imprudent. Tei's eyes narrowed, and she stepped forward Rin again.

"Keep away… from _my_ Len."

The harsh whisper sent chills down Rin's back; still, it was impossible for any outsiders to know what Tei just said, for she kept a peaceful, pleasant, or even benevolent expression on her face.

"Y-yes," Rin squeaked.

"You hear me? _Keep away._ Or I'll make you feel the true power of a Baku!" Then Tei pulled back, the corners of her eyes crinkling up in a smile that looked almost real, and skipped back to her chair, as if Tei had just told Rin a small secret, or maybe a friendship truce. Rin sat gingerly on one of the other five chairs as Len pulled it out for her, her hands gripping the hand rest tightly.

"So your probably waiting why you're here, right?" the blue haired guy began after Rin and Len were seated, his eyes observing the pair lazily. "Well, now that you have completed your first contract, you know a little about Bakus now, don't you?

"Well, just like any other civilization, Bakus have a hierarchy as well. Gakupo, Tei and I, Matsudappoiyo, are all the masters of our own fields. As you have experienced, your job is to bring sweet dreams to those who have nightmares. I am the head of the sweet dream department so you will report directly to me. Gakupo here"—he gestured toward the purple-haired male—is in charge of the nightmare division, while Tei is in charge of the daydream division. You will also find out that Bakus aren't the only type of Yokai that are real."

"I know," Rin said, maybe a little quickly for her sake. With this statement, something flashed dangerously in Matsudappoiyo's eyes.

"You know?" he demanded, looking accusingly at Len. Rin nervously licked her lips, all too aware of the cold air that filled the room.

"Well, on my way to Gumi's house last night, I met a Neko named Miki, and she told me that there were lots of types of Yokai," she conceded. Hearing this, Matsudappoiyo relaxed.

"So you met Miki? She's pretty harmless as a Neko and even got herself into a bad contract, taking away almost all of her powers. But she's right, there are more than just Bakus and Nekos. You should watch your back… you have no idea when a Yokai will arrive, and unless you can put them to sleep, you will be very vulnerable to their element attacks. Do you understand?" He paused, waiting for Rin to respond. "So let's show you the rest of the headquarters, shall we?" Matsudappoiyo stood up, motioning for the others to follow him. Rin turned to take her teacher's arm, but Gakupo beat the blond boy to it.

"My lady, please let me accompany you."

Taken back slightly, Rin only stammered an apology to Len, before letting Gakupo's alluring smile wash over her. Still not used to him, she shyly paced her hand in his. Leading the way, the blue haired Baku spoke out loud as they passed several doors that had appeared in the hall.

"Now that you have met with us, all of these doors are opened to you Rin," he yawned. "This door on the left leads to a map room, showing millions of possible contractors. The door next to it is the scribe room, where you will account your contracts after they are completed. This door on the right is the tea room; a favorite of Bakus to overcome the nasty taste they require from dream switching. And here is the lounge," he announced as he pushed open the door. The bright light inside the room stung Rin's eyes, temporarily blinding her. When she could see again, she gasped. The room was filled with fancy tables and elegant chairs—a teahouse, maybe? About a dozen Bakus loitered about, conversing and sipping tea from porcelain teacups. When they saw the new comers, they got to their feet, clapping.

"Welcome, Rin!"

Different colors flashed into Rin's gaze as several other Bakus, all with different color hair and outfits, came to personally greet her.

"It's nice to meet you, Rin!"

"You're so lucky to be Len's apprentice!"

"More like Len is lucky to be the teacher of such a beautiful girl!"

"Such pretty golden hair, I feel envious!"

The mixture of voices made Rin's head pound, as each individual tried to be louder than the other. Thankfully, Len saved her, pulling her from the masses and leading her towards a pair of sofas were Matsudappoiyo, a boy with peachy colored hair and a girl with grey hair were already sitting. As the two newcomers had taken over one couch, Rin sat between the Sweet Dream leader and her blond teacher. She blushed as she was concise of the closeness of the two males, their legs pressing on hers. From the corner of her eye Rin could see Len smiling her, her heart beating in her chest quickly, the feeling of his lips pressed against hers, the memory echoing throughout her mind. From her other side though, she could see Matsudappoiyo watching her with interest. When she turned to catch his ruby red eyes, the blue haired Baku turned, an expression of boredom once again replacing the kinder curious expression that was on his face. Clearing his throat, he turned to look towards the pair at the other sofa.

"Rin, these are the other two Bakus in the sweet dream department," he said, gesturing towards the pair. "The girl is Haku Yowane, while the guy is Yuuma Roro. If you ever need help, these two will be happy to help you…" he trailed off as a commotion by the door attracted his attention. "What the…"

Rin stood up too see better. Apparently at the door, someone or something was trying to get in, though several of the guys were prohibiting it. Suddenly a bundle of red, blue and white pushed past the group.

"Congratulations, Rin!"

Miki laughed as she came running up to Rin, her cat tail twitching in merriment. Before she could get to the blond, Gakupo and another boy, one with black hair and golden eyes, grabbed her from behind. Miki's claws immediately came out with a _ka-ching._ "I just wanted to come say hi to my new best friend!" she whined. "Ouch! Be careful, you're stepping on my tail!"

"Stop, you're hurting her!" Rin cried out, confused with what was happening. Matsudappoiyo sighed, gesturing for the pair to release the Neko.

"Let her be, she's harmless. But, Miki…" He suddenly turned severe, and the cat-girl shrank back. Miki, if you want to talk to Rin, you have to do it outside."

Miki stuck out her tongue at the blue-haired man's back, before turning to Rin.

"Come on Rin! Let's go have a real party!" Miki grabbed the girl's arm, pulling her towards the door, as she turned her head to address Len. "Are you coming with us, Blondie?" Without saying a word, Len followed the pair, out the door and back into the dark hall. As the party went back to normal, Matsudappoiyo stood with his back towards the wall, watching the door that the Neko and the two Bakus had left through. While he stared, deep in concentration, Yuuma walked up to him, waiting for the superior Baku to acknowledge him. After several moments of waiting, the pink-haired man sighed.

"You like her, don't you?" he said bluntly, as Matsudappoiyo glared at him and walked away, leaving Yuuma confirmed with his assumption.

**Hoped you enjoyed this chapter, KoN**


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